IUCN threat status:

Brief Summary

Biology

Like other fur seals, Guadalupe fur seals are territorial, with adult males fighting to form territories, and then endeavouring to accumulate females into their territories (5). Females start arriving at the breeding sites from mid-June to July or August, and give birth to a pup conceived the previous season within days of their arrival (5). About seven to ten days after giving birth the mother mates and then leaves to feed at sea (5). For the next eight to eleven months before the pup is weaned (5), the female will spend alternate periods of nine to thirteen days feeding at sea and nursing periods of five to six days back on land (7). Their search for prey may take them up to 500 kilometres away from their breeding sites and most of their dives are down to a depth of 50 metres (8). The Guadalupe fur seal diet is quite specialized on squid (95 percent) but also includes a few fishes (5) (9).